by M H Soars
“Get out of my head.” I send the mental command, hoping the communication is both ways.
“Make me,” he fires back.
My wolf growls at him.
“Now you see why you can’t be trusted outside the compound on your own. You’re a menace to this pack.”
“Fuck you!”
Wrong thing to shout telepathically to Mr. Asshole in wolf form. He jumps on me, pushing me to the ground as if I were a stuffed puppy. His jaw locks around my throat, and his sharp teeth sink in the soft skin of my neck hard enough to deliver the message.
“Don’t push me, Red. I’m the beta, and you’re only a Shadow Creek mutt.”
I may not be familiar with the history of the pack yet, but I know Mr. Asshole just insulted me.
“Get off me.”
“Only if you ask nicely.” His wolf growls.
“No.”
Tristan applies more pressure to my throat, making a whimper escape my mouth.
“Tristan, come on. Let her go,” Samuel says.
I should say please, but it seems my survival instincts are on the fritz. Instead, I do the last thing I should do in this situation—I change back into human. Tristan’s weight is on top of me, his teeth on my throat. It feels ten thousand times worse in this fragile form. I read the surprise in Tristan’s gaze right before he jumps off me.
“Red, are you okay?” Samuel is by my side in an instant, checking my throat.
Pushing him off, I sit up. “I’m fine.”
A jacket materializes out of nowhere. When I look up, Grandma is there. Without a word, I take it from her, draping it over my shoulders. Movement on my peripheral catches my attention. Tristan is shifting back to human form as well. The transformation is fast, lasting no more than a few seconds. He glances at me, fury sparkling in his grey eyes. He doesn’t seem to care he’s standing completely naked in front of my grandmother.
“Don’t ever pull a stunt like that again,” he growls. “Do you hear me, Amelia?” He points a finger in my direction. If I were closer, I would break it off.
“If you think I’m going to take orders from you, you’re sorely mistaken.” Bold words for someone who had her ass handed to her, and is still shaking nonstop. I clearly have a death wish.
With a snarl, he takes a step forward, but Dante gets in his way, keeping him from me.
“Let it go, Tristan. Can’t you see she’s distressed?”
Samuel helps me up. “Come on, Red. Let’s get your stuff, then head back to the compound.”
I let him lead me back to the house, even though I want to go someplace far away from here. I don’t even know if Grandma is truly sick or if that was a ploy to get me to move to Crimson Hollow. My parents were against the idea. At the time, I never understood why. Didn’t Dad care about his mother? But maybe he knew the truth. No matter the angle I look at things, it’s still a fucked-up situation.
Lost in my turmoil, I pack without thought, randomly throwing things in my duffel bag. Samuel follows all my movements like a hawk, as if he’s afraid I’m going to do something stupid.
“Stop staring. It’s creepy,” I say.
“I’m sorry about everything, Red. I truly am.”
“Right.”
He touches my arm, freezing me on the spot. Heat spreads from where his hand rests, making me forget for a moment what just happened. I’m still naked, I realize, the jacket over my shoulders barely covering my breasts. Funnily enough, I don’t care. I guess I’m already getting used to prancing around in my birthday suit.
“I meant it,” he says. “And don’t mind Tristan. He doesn’t deal with change well. He’ll come around.”
“I really don’t care about what Tristan thinks about me. But he’d better quit bossing me around.”
“I never met any wolf able to stand their ground with Tristan like that. I mean, besides Dante and me. But we’re betas, too. I think that’s what’s ticking Tristan off the most. You’re a brand-new wolf, and you’re not afraid of him.”
I avert my gaze to hide the truth. To say I’m not afraid of Tristan is a lie. I was terrified—still am—but my anger spoke louder.
“One more reason for him to stop picking on me. I didn’t ask to be changed into a wolf.”
I stuff the last piece of clothing in my duffel bag, and zip it shut. Samuel grabs the strap, then hoists it up his shoulder. “That’s all?”
I do a final glance over my room. I purposely left behind a few personal belongings—such as a framed picture of Grandma and me. “Yes, that’s all.”
On the way out, my eyes fall on the schoolbook under a pile of clothes. “Samuel, wait.”
“What is it?”
Grabbing the book, I hold it against my chest. “Will I be able to return to college?”
He grimaces before running a hand through his hair. “Shit, Red. I don’t know. After what happened here, it will be hard to convince Dad to let you back into the human world so soon.”
Taking a deep breath, I drop my head. I could argue, but I have no fight left in me. It seems I’ve spent it all on Mr. Asshole.
“Hey, don’t look so sad. I’ll think of something.”
Samuel gives me a smile, but I can’t reciprocate, not when I feel dead inside.
Chapter 13
Red
Once we return to the compound, I’m allowed time to myself. Mr. Asshole disappears as soon as Samuel parks the car. Dante and Samuel escort me to my room, which is the same one I spent the night in. Dante says I can change the decorations if I don’t like it, but I don’t want to get too comfortable. I don’t plan on sticking around for long.
They don’t linger, and I’m grateful for that. They must have sensed I’m not in the mood for small talk. Feeling lost, I sit on the edge of the bed and turn my phone on. There are several messages from Kenya asking where I am, along with a few missed calls from Peter. He left a voice mail, which I delete without listening to. Damn it. I’ll probably need to quit my job.
I let out a heavy sigh, my shoulders sagging forward. So many changes, so many things I have to learn. But the worst part is not having anyone I can talk to about it all. Kenya is out of the question. I doubt I’ll be allowed to breathe a word about shapeshifters and all the other inexplicable things happening in Crimson Hollow. Witches, vampires… what else is there?
I don’t want Kenya to worry and demand her mother, the town’s sheriff, to start a search party for me, so I text her and say I’m okay. She doesn’t reply or call right away, which means she must not be up yet. Throwing my phone on the bed, I begin to unpack. When I catch my reflection in the mirror, I wince. I haven’t showered in two days, and it shows. My hair is matted, stuck flat against my skull. My skin has a sickly hue to it, and the only color on my ashen face comes from the smears of dirt on my cheeks.
The guest room has a bathroom; Samuel showed me. After I grab a few items from my bag, I head for the shower. I’m glad I remembered to pack my favorite shampoo and conditioner, even through my haze. I wait until the water is scalding hot, my sore muscles needing the soothing relief. My body rejoices as I wash away all the grime with glee, but there’s no hope for the hole in my chest. With a sob, I finally allow myself to drown in the sorrow. My crying jag is ugly and loud. It shakes my entire body, and I’m glad no one can hear me. The tears won’t stop—not when I wash my hair twice, nor when I rub my arms and legs until they’re raw. I only get out of the shower when the water turns cold. By then, my tears are finally dry.
Wrapped in towel, I return to my room. My phone is ringing, but it stops before I can get to it. Glancing at the screen, I see Kenya’s name flashing on it. With a deep breath, I call her back. I might as well get this charade over with.
She answers on the first ring, “Red, finally! I’ve been trying to reach you for days.”
“I’m sorry, Kenya. I’ve been busy.”
“I can’t believe you bailed Thursday night without saying goodbye. You suck.”
“I texted
you. Elliot had run away, and Grandma was worried.” The lie feels bitter in my mouth, even if it’s not mine.
“I know, I know. Did you find him?”
“Yup. He’s good. It’s all good.”
“I’m glad, girlie. Too bad you had to leave the concert early, but it’s not like you missed anything. Thirty minutes after you left, The Howlers stopped playing and Samuel took off. I was so disappointed.”
Of course Samuel had to bail. He was busy saving me. I press the heel of my hand against my forehead, trying to suppress a headache that’s beginning to brew again.
“I’m sure they’ll reschedule,” I say.
“They’d better. I paid to watch a two full hours of Mr. Delicious singing. I feel short-changed.”
“You never told me Samuel Wolfe had two older brothers,” I say, not meaning to sound accusatory, but managing to just the same.
“Hold up. You didn’t know? The Wolfe triplets are legends. Granted, I rarely see Dante and Tristan in town. Dante is this enigmatic artist who almost never ventures out of his cave, and Tristan, well, he’s too busy building his empire. I only see him when my mother forces me to attend town meetings.”
“He’s an asshole.”
“Wait. When did you meet him?”
Shit. I said too much. “Uh, he came into the hardware store once.”
“Tell me more.” There’s a new tone of interest in Kenya’s voice. “He’s so handsome, but I still prefer Samuel. That’s who I’d pick to bang.”
Jealousy hits me like a cannonball, and I suck in a startled breath. I don’t want to picture Samuel hooking up with any girl, especially my best friend.
A knock on my door interrupts what I was going to say. “Red, are you ready to make new friends?”
It’s Samuel. God, it’s like he knew I was talking about him.
“Who’s that?” Kenya asks.
“The TV. Sorry, Kenya, I have to go.”
“Okay, then. I’ll see you on Monday.”
I end the call right before Samuel opens the door a tad and sticks his head in.
“Hey! Who told you to come in?” I hold the towel around me tighter.
“Oops. Sorry. When you didn’t answer, I thought, well, never mind. Get dressed. We don’t want to leave the others waiting. Wolves are not patient by nature.”
“Fine. Give me five minutes.” Turning to my bag, I start to dig clothes out. “What should I wear?”
“Whatever you like. Jeans and a top is fine. This isn’t a fancy occasion.”
“Okay.” I separate my favorite outfit from the pile—a pair of skinny jeans and a faded Ramones T-shirt. This was my laid-back Sunday style when I lived in Chicago.
Tossing a glance over my shoulder, I see that Samuel is still there. He’s leaning casually against the dresser with his hands in his pockets. His low-rider jeans are pushed even lower thanks to that, showing a little bit of skin. Clenching my jaw, I force myself to look away. Why does the man have to be so irresistible?
“Aren’t you going to wait outside?”
“Do you want me to? It’s not like I haven’t see you naked before.” He chuckles.
With jerky movements, I pick up my clothes before striding into the bathroom. The snick of the lock is oddly satisfying.
“Aw, come on, Red. I was just teasing.”
“Whatever. I’ll be right out.”
I get dressed as quickly as I can because even with the door separating us, I don’t want to be naked for too long with Samuel nearby. It’s stupid. He’s seen me naked a bunch of times already in the last forty-eight hours, but he doesn’t need to see how my traitorous body reacts to him. I want to ask someone if extra horniness is something all wolves experience, but the idea of breaching the subject to any of the brothers or worse, their mother, is embarrassing as hell. I guess I’ll just have to ride it out.
Samuel stands straighter when I return to the room, his electric-blue eyes dropping to my bare feet and slowly traveling up the length of my body. Heat spreads across my cheeks as I try not squirm under his scrutiny. Glaring, I cross my arms in front of my chest.
“What?”
“You look good in anything, don’t you?”
I snort. “Please. You don’t need to keep throwing your rock-star charm my way. I’m not going to try to run away again.”
He raises an eyebrow, the corners of his lips twitching upward. “I can’t help it. It comes with the package.”
Rolling my eyes, I put on my slippers. “I’m ready.”
Samuel opens the door, then motions with his arm. “Ladies first.”
I barely set foot in the hallway before Dante comes running up the stairs. “There you are. Everyone is already waiting for you.”
I nod as I try to control the crazy butterflies that are suddenly creating havoc in my belly. My hands are sweaty by the time we end up outside the alpha’s manor. The Wolfe brothers remain silent as we make our way to the square between the main house and another large building. A lump forms in my throat when I see the gathering waiting for me. There must be around thirty people, and they all turn in my direction when I approach the assembly.
Suddenly feeling like an intruder, I don’t make eye contact with any of them. Instead, I keep my eyes trained on the gazebo where Dr. Mervina stands with Tristan by her side. My gaze lingers on him despite everything he has put me through. He changed into casual clothes—a pair of dark jeans and a polo shirt—but even so, he seems more polished than his brothers. It must be his arrogant expression. He senses my stare and turns to me, not breaking the connection until I go up the steps to stand next to his mother.
The silence is so absolute I could hear a pin drop.
“Thanks for coming on such short notice. I appreciate it,” Dr. Mervina says. Her voice is clear and full of authority. “As I mentioned in the previous assembly, our pack acquired a new member. Please meet Amelia Redford.”
Murmurs carry through the crowd, and Dr. Mervina waits until it dies down.
“How is that possible?” someone asks, a man with a bushy beard and salt-and-pepper hair.
“A lone wolf attacked Amelia two nights ago, as I explained earlier. She was lucky the betas were near the area and prevented the worst.”
“She doesn’t belong here.” It’s a beautiful brunette who spoke, her sharp gaze cutting straight through me. My spine goes taut as I take in the full blast of her animosity.
“Lyria, shut your mouth,” a blond man says, earning a glare from her.
“Bite me, Seth. You know the rules. She belongs to whoever infected her.”
I bristle immediately, opening my mouth to rebuff that statement. Dante places a hand on my arm, giving a minute shake of his head.
“There are no rules when the wolf is a loner. Since she was rescued by this pack, she’ll stay with us,” Dr. Mervina says, her face devoid of any emotion.
“You said she was attacked two nights ago,” another man speaks. “Shouldn’t she still be in bed recovering?”
“Amelia’s transformation is complete,” Dr. Mervina replies evenly.
“What? That’s impossible,” someone far back in the crowd says. “It takes weeks for the human body to assimilate to the virus.”
“Yes, that’s usually the case. Amelia is an exception.”
With a snarl, the woman named Lyria takes a step forward. “If that’s the case, then I think she should shift for us.”
Stomach dropping, I glance at Dante, panicked. Nobody said anything about shifting in front of all these people.
“It’s up to Amelia.” Dr. Mervina raises an eyebrow in my direction.
I shift my weight from foot to foot, wriggling my fingers. The two times I shifted, I was angry. I don’t know if I can do it on demand like that. What if I can’t?
Samuel places a hand on my lower back, leaning in close. “Don’t stress about it. You can do it.”
“I’m not so sure about that. What will happen if I refuse?” I whisper.
“Don�
�t refuse.”
Great. I get the message loud and clear. If I say no, bad things will happen.
“What’s the matter, blondie? Are you afraid?” Lyria sneers, a glint of arrogance in her eyes. Swinging her gaze to Tristan, she licks her lips.
Ah, now I understand where her nastiness is coming from. She must have the hots for Mr. Asshole and thinks I’m a threat.
I don’t reply to her comment. Closing my eyes, I try to remember what I felt the times I shifted. I wish I had asked more questions about the process. I’m going blind here. Dante’s voice speaks in my head, making me gasp.
“You can do this, Red. Focus on the wolf’s essence.”
“How are you doing this?” I ask.
“What?”
“Speaking to my mind. I thought it only worked in wolf form.”
“To most, yes. But I’m different. Now focus.”
I do as he says, turning my awareness inward. At first, I feel nothing different. Nervous sweat breaks on my forehead. I’m too conscious of the crowd watching me, waiting for me to fail. Someone snickers, and I know it’s that odious woman. Anger builds, and that’s when I feel the wolf inside me stir. It’s only a slow unfurling of warmth in my chest until it suddenly becomes a ball of swirling energy in my core. I can’t believe I didn’t sense it before. It’s suddenly all I can feel.
I imagine my muscles changing, taking the shape of the animal, and then it happens. The pain comes first, sharp and fast. But this time, I’m prepared for it, so I’m able to ride it out without whimpering like a fool. My gums ache as my canines elongate, blood pooling in my mouth. I wonder if I’ll bleed every time. When I hear fabric ripping, I drop to my knees. Shit, I forgot to take off my clothes. I can’t believe I ruined my favorite outfit. Sadness overwhelms me for a split second, but then a shiver runs down my spine. The wolf’s wild emotions erupt like a geyser, taking me over.
When I open my eyes again, the assembly stares at me in bewilderment. Well, everyone except Lyria. She sheds her clothes and shifts as well, changing into a beautiful black wolf. If she was savage as human, I bet she’s ten times worse as a wolf.